Simplifying the Understanding and Measurement of Mental Disorders Thru a Comprehensive Framework of Psychosocial Health

Abstract

The assessment of mental health and mental disorders has undergone extensive exploration within the field of psychology, resulting in various models and approaches. In addition to traditional ways like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, psychologists have proposed alternative perspectives for evaluating mental health. One such innovative approach is the psychosocial health model, which defines mental well-being as sexual, emotional, social, environmental, cognitive, religious, moral, and spiritual satisfaction. This paper presents four consecutive studies aimed at developing and validating a new scale, Sukoon Psychosocial Illness Scale (SPIS), to measure psychosocial illness and its sub-factors based on the model of psychosocial health. SPIS was developed and validated through four sequential studies involving 684 participants. Rigorous exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were employed to establish content and construct validity. Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed by examining associations with psychological distress and overall psychosocial health. Reliability was evaluated using internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and item-total and item-scale correlations. The results of the study confirm the high reliability and validity of SPIS. This refined instrument consists of 21 items presented in English, employing a 7-point Likert scale for responses. The scale comprises six distinct sub-scales, namely emotional problems, sexual problems, religious and moral problems, social problems, spiritual problems, and professional problems. SPIS emerges as a promising tool for future researchers and clinicians, offering a fresh perspective on mental disorders through the comprehensive lens of psychosocial health. This instrument contributes to the evolving landscape of mental health assessment and underscores the importance of considering diverse dimensions for a holistic understanding of psychosocial well-being.